Ok, so recently there has been a load of hubbub on the news about race. Racial terms and who can and who cannot use them.
I personally find it repulsive that just because I'm of a certain COMPLEXION I cannot use the N word (not that I would want to). That for some reason it is assumed that I would mean it in a harmful way if I were to use it. But if a dark complected person were to use it, then to many people that is ok. Personally I think the word needs to be done away with.
While many argue that that particular word is in the process of being given a new meaning, much like the words "Gay", "Lesbian", and even "Mormon" have been given new non offensive meaning when they all at one time were considered insults. My issue isn't that the word is being given new meaning. That would be wonderful! It's that it's only being given new meaning when certain people use it. This is NOT the case with the words I mentioned above. Both homosexuals an heterosexuals alike are allowed to use the words Gay and Lesbian without it automatically being assumed that they are being spit at someone. Heck, the word "Mormon" is used by everyone and anyone... and I don't know of any LDS person in my lifetime that has ever taken offense to the use of it.
Recently I was visiting a website for pregnant mothers and came a crossed another double standard as far as race. There was a post that was titled "Where all the mocha mommy's @?" meaning African-American or black ladies (I don't know which people are preferring be used this year). I don't mind so much if someone is looking for others with a similar background as they have... such as "Where are all the Vermont mommy's @", or "Where are all the older mommy's @". The thing that bugged me about this particular post.... is that If I did the same thing I would have been pounced on. Heaven forbid I use the term Aryan or white. If I asked where all the blue eyed mommy's were I would have been looked at as strange. If I asked about people with German ancestry they would have wondered if my immediate parent was from Germany, not 5 generations back or more. And when someone who had a parents from Germany asked who was German in my family and I didn't really know their name.... they probably would think I was nuts for bringing it up. Cause I know very little about my German ancestors.
Call me dazed and confused. I don't get it.
5 comments:
I hate how everyone gets jumped on for every little thing they said. And then whatever celebrity said it has to make this huge apology for saying it. Like, "I noticed the sky was blue today." And oh no!-they said the sky was blue, not robin-egg blue or royal blue, how dare they not differentiate it! But if they had, then someone would be all over their case that they didn't call it just "blue". You know what I mean? People are so uptight about what gets said and who said it. Drives me crazy.
I don't get it either! Like at our State Fair, there is a Black Fair day where all people of color are invited to the fair. Now what would happen if they had an 'all white' day?? Let's just say the whole place would be a big pile of smoke and ashes before the day was through. It's totally insane.
P.S. I think it's called Black Family Day
Agree, agree, agree. My sis, Lex, was telling me that, at SUU, some people started a Black Culture Appreciation club. One of her friends, who is white, wanted to join, and they wouldn't let him!! What Lex was saying (and I agree) is that, if someone started a White Culture Appreciation club, there would probably be national news coverage, in a bad way!! Oh, and I found out from a black friend that black people like to be called "black," that "African-American" means "that you're thinking about the person's race too much." Apparently, it's offensive. Whatever.
Why differentiate at all then? Outside of medical reasons (the face that certain haritage tend to bring about more of a likelyhood of certain disease) there really isn't any hard reason to differentiate the races unless you are racist... I mean HEAVENS! I have a black friend and seldom does race come up! and then it's only cause someone was being a jerk about it. Why not just say they have a dark complexion or course hair????
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